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Preview: Zurich Women vs. Lyon Women - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 22 November 2022, 22:41
Reigning European champions Lyon Women will attempt to claim their first victory of their Women's Champions League campaign when they travel to Switzerland to face Zurich Women on Thursday.

The hosts, meanwhile, are still yet to pick up a point after losing to Juventus and Arsenal in their opening two group games.

Match preview

Zurich won four consecutive games in qualifying to secure their place in the main draw, but they have struggled to continue that form in the group stage.

They were beaten 2-0 by Juventus on matchday one, before they lost 3-1 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, although they would have been pleased to score their first goal of the group through Seraina Piubel.

With four points separating them from the top two, they have their work cut out to progress to the knockout rounds, but their initial objective will be to pick up their first points of the group stage.

In recent weeks, Zurich have recorded league victories over Young Boys and Aarau, while they progressed to the quarter-finals of the Swiss Women's Cup with a 4-1 win away to Basel at the weekend.

Zurich will now look to pull off a surprise victory against the reigning European champions, and they can draw inspiration from the fact that they have won four of their last five home games in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Lyon's defence of the Champions League title they won last season has not gone as planned so far, with their opening two games yielding just one point.

After being thrashed 5-1 by Arsenal on matchday one, they took the lead in their away match against Juventus thanks to Lindsey Horan's opener, but a Melvine Malard own goal ensured that Lyon had to be content with a draw.

They may be the most successful team in the competition's history after winning the Champions League on eight occasions, but Lyon are currently three points adrift of the top two in the group.

With a win required to get their European campaign back on track, Lyon can take confidence that in their current four-game unbeaten in all competitions, they have kept three consecutive clean sheets.

While they have the chance to claim a fourth straight clean sheet, Sonia Bampastor will be looking for an improvement from her side in the final third after failing to score more than one goal in each of their last five games.

Zurich Women Women's Champions League form:

Zurich Women form (all competitions):

Lyon Women Women's Champions League form:

L

D

Lyon Women form (all competitions):

Team News

The hosts are expected to be without the services of Marie Hobinger, who has not featured since September due to an injury issue.

Seraina Friedli is set to feature in goal, and she will be shielded by the centre-back pairing of Julia Stierli and Laura Vetterlein.

With Zurich looking to find the net for the first time in the group stage, they will be looking towards Fabienne Humm, who is the current top scorer in the Swiss Women's Super League with 11 goals to her name.

As for the visitors, they have a number of injury absentees to contend with, including Ada Hegerberg, Catarina Macario and Sara Dabritz.

They are also unable to call upon Ellie Carpenter and Griedge Mbock, while Damaris Egurolla has been sidelined since picking up a injury on matchday two against Juventus.

With Bompastor's squad depth currently being tested, she could select the same side that started Sunday's league victory against Le Havre.

Zurich Women possible starting lineup:

Friedli; Riesen, Stierli, Vetterlein, Wos; Megroz, Piubel, Markou, Dubs; Pinther, Humm

Lyon Women possible starting lineup:

Endler; Cayman, Sombath, Renard, Morroni; Henry, Horan, Van de Donk; Cascarino, Malard, Bruun

We say: Zurich Women 0-2 Lyon Women

Although Lyon's squad has been depleted by injuries, we still think that they will have too much quality for Zurich, and as a result, we expect them to claim their first victory of the Champions League group stage.

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